Mike Lata
FIG and The Ordinary | Charleston, SC
NOVEMBER 2024
Originally from Western Massachusetts, Mike Lata spent his days as a child in his grandparents' garden and watched his grandmother whip up dishes in the kitchen with her homegrown produce. He briefly attended Northwestern University before deciding to pivot towards a culinary career. He worked in kitchens throughout Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, New Orleans, and Atlanta before eventually settling down in Charleston in 1998. He joined the team at Anson as executive chef and, over the next few years, Lata forged connections with local farmers and fishermen, learning and embracing the culinary traditions of the Lowcountry.
Lata then traveled to Europe to study French cuisine in Nice and Burgundy. Once stateside again, he opened his first restaurant, FIG, in 2003. There, Lata placed a priority on seasonal, produce-driven dishes, while educating his staff on the importance of investing in local purveyors. In 2009, he was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in the Southeast. A few years later, Lata opened his second endeavor, The Ordinary, an oyster bar and seafood hall celebrating Charleston’s high-quality, abundant seafood. Across his two restaurants, and as the culinary consultant for Kiawah Island Club, Lata continues to inspire and educate the next generation of chefs while sharing admiration for all that the Lowcountry has to offer.
